DO-All Topic Of Rotary Program
July 25, 2017
By: Stephen Kent
Chris Girard
Chris Girard, head of DO-All, Inc. in Bay City, spoke to Rotary about the history, mission and current activities of the iconic local organization.
DO-All workers, and the organization's many outlets and programs are visible throughout the community.
The mission statement says a lot about the organization: "DO-All will empower individuals by eliminating barriers to opportunities through employment services, community access, and advocacy". With that charge, DO-All helps people with mental and physical challenges, people who once were overlooked or just warehoused, to integrate into the community and find meaningful and worthwhile purpose and employment.
DO-All was started by parents wanting more for their children with a disability. They initially provided services under the association for retarded children. In 1973 DO-All incorporated as an independent organization.
Initial projects included making ceramics, weaving rag rugs and building pallets. Later they made trash bags from plastic discarded by Quality Bag, which eventually led to opportunities with Dow Brand's ZIPLOC Bag plant. Girard showed pictures and newspaper clippings of many of these early activities.
Among the current activities is the "Cats Meow" resale store in Essexville. That store provides one outlet for the "UPcycle" program, housed in the Dunlop building downtown, that refurbishes and repurposes old furniture and other items. The "Do-Art Studio" and the "DO-Frame" shop and gallery provide outlets for many beautiful art projects created by the DO-All employees. The organization is also the only non-profit, worldwide, to own and operate a "Coffee News" franchise.
DO-All also runs its own employment agency geared to its clients. A newer program facilitates micro-enterprises where the organization helps the disabled start their own businesses like "Langin's Woodworking" and an outlet for Andrea Elizabeth's creations.
The organization, with a support staff of 58 and a $2.8 million annual budget, has recently moved to new offices. Chris said they are getting accustomed to the new facility. He also said there are numerous volunteer opportunities for anyone who is interested.
CLUB NEWS and ANNOUNCEMENTS
Brenda Scramlin is recruiting volunteers to work at the upcoming Zombie Run. The committee has started meeting and the event is coming together.
Promotional
ZOMBIE RUN SHIRTS will be available at the next meeting, Aug 1. If you didn't sign up, please ask. Some extras were ordered.
President Bob Chadwick has asked the board and members to be thinking about a new
large scale
fund raiser similar to International Night which, at its height, raised over $40,000 in one night.
DUES for the July to December 2017 term are now past due. If you have not yet paid your dues, please attend to that matter.
Current and past
DISTRICT DISPATCH newsletters are available on the District site shown in the LINKS section below.
DATES TO REMEMBER
Aug 1, 8, 15: OFF SITE Meetings
At the Marriott Uptown.
August 1, 2017 - ZOMBIE SHIRTS. Promotional shirts will be available. Extras are available if you didn't sign up.
September 5, 2017 - District Governor visits our club.
October 14, 2017 - ZOMBIE RUN Bigelow Park.
November 7, 2017 - Vocational Day
Upcoming Programs
(See the official schedule at
RotaryBayCity.org )
August 1, 2017 - 10 Minute Rotarian
Off Site Meeting - Marriott Uptown
August 8, 2017 - Golden Horizons: helping with Dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
Bonnie Fritz is a Nurse and Dementia Educator at Golden Horizons Adult Day Care Center will report on the non-profit which is supported by funding from Region IV Area Agency on Aging, Bay Area Community Foundation, A&D Health Care, and the United Way of Bay County.
Off Site Meeting - Marriott Uptown
August 15, 2017 - Rotary Global Rewards Program
What is this? Why should you want to use it? How do you use it? Yes - your business may be able to offer a reward for the consumer?
Off Site Meeting - Marriott Uptown
August 22, 2017 - TBD
August 29, 2017 - TBD
Sept 5, 2017
YWCA Safe Sitter Program (Past Grantee of our club).
Speaker: Rachelle Hilliker
Sept 12, 2017
Grant Update from CANN Council.
Rotary is an intimate affiliation of carefully selected business and professional people,
having as its objective the promotion of high ethical standards in private, commercial
and civic life, and dedicated to the ideal that the basis of all worthy endeavor is unselfish service.
Current and past
DISTRICT DISPATCH newsletters are available on the District site shown in the LINKS section below.
Rotary Bay City on Facebook!
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Remember! Check attendance sheets at the front desk.
LINKS